With the invention of smartphones and apps, photography has changed drastically in recent times, allowing anyone with an acute eye to point-and-shoot as they please. A protegé of the modern-day, San Diego-born photographer Izzy Balderas, or 5pts to his Instagram followers, presents striking visual renderings that do little to hold back on raw emotions. While Balderas may have been schooled in graphic design, his accolades show him to be a pupil of self-taught digital photography at its most proverbial. Armed with a Cannon 5D Mark III and an iPhone 5, Balderas looks to the stark backdrops of San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and San Diego as canvas — calling upon graffiti bathrooms, statuesque women, pedestrians and cityscapes as his accomplice. Inspired by how photography can be used as a vehicle in stopping time, Balderas notes that “being able to capture that one specific moment that you can never duplicate is incredible.” Follow 5pts on Instagram for a closer look at his latest endeavors, and enjoy his selection for our THROUGH THE LENS above.

A picture is worth a thousand words — at least that’s how the old saying goes. Our latest feature THROUGH THE LENS aims to see the world through the lens of various creatives. Be it a professional photographer, a blogger, a creative director, or just a fashion designer who happens to have an affinity for taking pictures, each photo set offers a glimpse into the frame of those individuals who have captured a very unique moment in time. In place of textual interviews or written pieces, THROUGH THE LENS is a visual interpretation and platform for those who have a story to tell. A picture’s worth a thousand words? Enjoy the read.